Initiated in the context of International Women's Day 2024, the "Women Like You" campaign presents the stories of 8 women who managed to assert themselves. Teachers, trolley bus drivers, association managers, artists, and entrepreneurs who benefited from the European Union (EU) support, each contributing to the development of the fields in which they operate.

“Women like you”. A campaign about women boosting progress in Moldova

08/03/2024

Initiated in the context of International Women’s Day 2024, the “Women Like You” campaign presents the stories of 8 women who managed to assert themselves. Teachers, trolley bus drivers, association managers, artists, and entrepreneurs who benefited from the European Union (EU) support, each contributing to the development of the fields in which they operate. The “Women Like You” campaign emphasizes equal opportunities and access to opportunities for both women and men, highlighting the importance of gender equality in modern society.

Ensuring the rights of women and girls in all aspects of life is the only way to build a prosperous and objective society. Studies show that women remain underrepresented in business leadership, management, and development. In the Republic of Moldova, women continue to face gender inequality. Statistical data show that in the Republic of Moldova, only 1/3 of businesses are run by women.

The European Union supports women in the Republic of Moldova through various programs and initiatives such as mentoring and grants in business development, stimulates the active participation of women in decision-making processes, provides assistance to victims of gender-based violence, and implements prevention programs, supports civil society organizations for women’s rights.

The campaign was launched with the opening of the painting exhibition titled “A Floating World”. The exhibition presents the works of the artist from the Transnistrian region Natalia Yampolskaia. It captures the realities of several European cities, Vienna, Budapest, Venice, Chisinau, etc. The “A Floating World” exhibition will be open from March 7 to 31, 2024.

Here are the 8 women of the “Women Like You” campaign:

Zinaida Plămădeala is an entrepreneur from Ungheni, who develops an environmentally friendly business. Zinaida is the administrator of the “Berries Group” Association, formed by a cluster of five strawberry producers. The association benefited from support through the “EU4Moldova: Key Regions” program, financed by the European Union and implemented by UNDP Moldova and UNICEF.
Ana Căpraru is a businesswoman who, together with her husband, manages the “La Cotihana” rest and recreation base, located in Cotihana village, Cahul district. Ana benefited from assistance in business development through several European Union programs, including “EU4Moldova: Key Regions” and “Startup City Cahul”, co-financed by Sweden. Thanks to EU funding, Ana built wooden houses, and created recreational spaces for children and rest for adults. Ana also improved her digital skills and today successfully promotes her business online.
Alexandra Calașnic and Elizaveta Prihodko are two winemaking sisters who founded the “Kislov” winery, located in the village of Gîsca, Căușeni district. The women turned their father’s passion into a family business. They recreated the atmosphere of a French chateau right in the parents’ yard. For the development of the business, Alexandra Calașnic and Elizaveta Prihodko benefited from the support of the European Union through the program “Confidence Promotion Measures”, implemented by UNDP Moldova.
Iulia Stetskaya is originally from Ukraine, the city of Mohîliv-Podilskîi. In February 2022, Iulia and her family took refuge in the Republic of Moldova and settled in the north of the country. A training teacher, she was employed by the People in Need Moldova organization as a facilitator at the Digital Education Center in Călărăseuca village, Ocnița district. There Iulia helps Ukrainian children to continue their studies, even if they are far from home.
Vera Mălai is a trolleybus driver in the Municipal Enterprise “Regia Transport Electric” (RTEC), starting in 2019. Vera mentions that she works with pride as a trolleybus driver and does her work with pleasure and care for passengers. Through the “MOVE IT like Lublin” project – the initiative for the sustainable development of public transport in the city of Chisinau, the European Union supports the transformation of public transport services in the city into a more inclusive, safer, more resilient and sustainable transport system. A total of 942 women work within RTEC, of which 91 are trolleybus and bus drivers.
Mirabela Ursachi is the director of the “Vasile Stroescu” Local Action Group (GAL) Association. In the last three years, she managed to motivate rural women to get involved in local government processes, but also to provide support in the rural development of the more than 16 partner localities of the LAG. Mirabela gets involved in initiatives that create optimal conditions for the development of the local business environment, stopping migration and developing local businesses. “Vasile Stroescu” LAG benefits from support through the “Business Consultancy Center” project within the “EU4Moldova: Local Communities” program, which is financed by the European Union, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Austrian Cooperation for Development (ADC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.
Natalia Yampolskaia is an artist originally from Tighina and the author of the exhibition “A floating world”, launched at Europe Café in the context of the “Women like you” campaign. Natalia was a beneficiary of the “EU4Culture” program, funded by the European Union. Natalia Yampolskaia’s works have been exhibited in Germany, Austria, France, Italy, Hungary, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Albania.